A cross-sectional study to investigate the correlation between depression comorbid with anxiety and serum lipid levels

Abstract Background Depression is a common psychological disorder that severely threatens human health. Its pathology remains unclear, but it has been suggested to be associated with abnormal blood lipid metabolism. Objectives This study aimed to explore the changes in blood lipid levels in patients with depression accompanied or not by anxiety, and assess whether adjusting the clinical therapeutic strategy could be based on blood lipid test results, providing a novel insight into depression treatment. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. We assessed 60 outpatients and inpatients diagnosed with depression from January 2013 to January 2014 who met the Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders version 3 (CCMD-3) criteria, with Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-24) ≥ 20. They were grouped into depression with anxiety (n = 29) and depression without anxiety (n = 31) groups by the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA). Results TG levels were higher in the depression with anxiety group compared with patients without anxiety (P = 0.045), which was confirmed by multifactorial analysis [P = 0.017, OR = 4.394, 95% CI (1.303–14.824)]. A negative correlation between anxiety score and HDL levels was observed in patients with depression (r = − 0.340, P = 0.046). Meanwhile, positive associations were obtained between retardation and LDL levels (r = 0.307, P = 0.017) as well as age at disease onset and total cholesterol levels (r = 0.410, P = 0.002). Conclusion TG levels differ in patients with depression accompanied by anxiety compared with those without anxiety.